A Saudi religious scholar who raped his five-year-old daughter and tortured her to death has been ordered to pay "blood money" to the mother following a short term in jail, members of female rights group, Women to Drive, said on Saturday.

A statement released by the group said the man's daughter, Lama, was admitted to hospital on 25 December 2011 having sustained multiple injuries including a crushed skull, a broken arm and ribs and extensive bruising and burns.

According to the victim's mother, hospital staff told her that her "child's rectum had been torn open and the abuser had attempted to burn it closed".

Lama died in October 2012.

Despite the brutality of the crime, the activists say a judge has ruled: "Blood money and the time the defendant had served in prison since Lama's death suffices as punishment."

The group claim the ruling is based on national laws in Saudi that a father cannot be executed for murdering his children as husbands cannot be executed for murdering their wives.

In the trial the father, who is a regular guest on Islamic television networks, reportedly confessed to using cables and a cane to inflict Lama's injuries.

Three Saudi activists, including Manal al-Sharif, who in 2011 challenged Saudi laws that prevent women from driving, have raised objections to the ruling.

“O you who believe! If a Faasiq (liar — evil person) comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful for what you have done”
[al-Hujuraat 49:6]

"Fayhan al-Ghamdi admitted using a cane and cables to inflict the horrific injuries after doubting his daughter’s virginity, according to the campaign group Women to Drive."
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He admits inflicting horrific injuries on her because he thought she was not a virgin? How would that even be down to her? If she was not a virgin it would be because she had been forcibly raped!
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The insanity of the facts of this case appears to be equally matched by the insanity of the laws that reduce the severity of the crime because it was inflicted on a female.
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Shame on you Saudi Arabia, shame on you!